Holistic Risk Management at the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation

Dohrmann, Alke PhD; Siegel, Almut - Project Managers of the SiLK- Guidelines for the Protection of Cultural Property, and Research Associates Holistic Risk Management, Rathgen-Forschungslabor, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Germany

ISSN 2975-190X – ISBN 978-88-6864-548-9

In 2017, the theft of the golden coin “Big Maple Leaf” out of the Bodemuseum, and the damage of sculptures with an oily substance in several museums of the museum ensemble in 2020 were of great public interest. All affected institutions are members of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation (SPK) in Berlin.

Following these events, the SPK founded a Task Force Risk Management comprising of all relevant departments of administration and science. It started a project to establish a holistic risk management helping all museums, archives, libraries and institutes of the SPK to enhance their emergency planning and risk awareness.

Supported by the SPK risk commissioners a risk analysis is conducted and the emergency documentation system refined to adopt adequate measures and to prepare best. The staff is trained and trans-institutional communication encouraged. Strong ties with the fire fighters are being built and the SPK became member of preparedness networks.

KEYWORDS: task force, risk management, preparedness, cultural heritage. In PROCULTHER-NET 2 Project. Technical Bulletin N. 3, July 2024, pp 36-41.

Information and views set out in this community page can also be those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the European Commission.